Top trends in IoT The top trend: Additional insights Security Risks of IoT 5G makes our list yet again, but this time it shows up as a viable connectivity option for IoT devices. Having IoT devices on a As mentioned earlier in this report, IoT adoption is still in its infancy, separate network is an excellent practice – to decrease security confined to a handful of vertical industries that have strong use risks, an enterprise would ideally segment these devices and cases and an ecosystem of equipment. But, it is growing. As keep them from using the same broadband as applications. But in adoption increases, it will expand the edge and pose security some IoT use cases, it would be impractical or impossible to con- risks. Adding to these risks is the tendency toward shadow IT, nect to a circuit. For mission-critical IoT devices as mentioned with departments and users plugging into corporate IT networks above, 5G could also be deployed for redundancy. without giving much thought to the risks. Increased adoption will also lead to increased reliance on IoT networks and devices, Another implication of the increase in IoT adoption is the need to creating a need for heightened security. manage traffic. Many of the IoT use cases will require real-time connectivity, and traffic will continue to increase as more and IoT devices and applications are more devices come online. This is where the need to manage and prioritize traffic will begin to arise. But, don’t wait until this becoming more widespread, and becomes a necessity– as with any technology snag visible on the professionals with skills in IoT horizon, it’s better to have a plan upon deployment than to wait until it becomes a challenge to be solved. development are in demand. AI-powered IoT networks leverage the learning and predictive capabilities of AI to create models that anticipate the needs of In the future, an enterprise relying on an IoT device that could be users or elements of IoT-powered networks. This can streamline taken offline or otherwise compromised could experience hefty and improve the operations of such networks while creating damage to operations and brand reputation. If IoT is on your better outcomes for users and reducing the need for manage- roadmap, or already here for you, don’t let 2024 go by without at ment. Enterprises that adopt this technology can better allocate least considering what the security implications may be. resources, whether human or, for example, compute power. Blockchain used in an IoT network can allow multiple entities to share data more securely and without the need for centralized management. It enables an unchangeable log of transactions to be recorded for transparency while maintaining anonymity. Any- time a group of disparate organizations have to collaborate on a single project or participate in a complex, multi-step process, Blockchain IoT could be a solution. Freight shipping, logistics, and certain manufacturing operations are potential use cases. UPSTACK © The 2024 Technology Trends Report | 10